Landing-chassis for aeroplanes.



W. C. ROBINSON.

LANDING CHASSIS FOR AEROPLANES, APPLICATION FILED MAR.27. 19l6.

1,240,8'3L Patented Sept. 18, 1917.

WILLIAM C. ROBINSON, F GBINNELL, IOWA.

LANDING-CHASSIS FOB AEROPLANES.

1,240,371. Specification of Letters Patent. y t t g t, 1 1917, Application filed March 27, 1916. Serial No. 87,117.

To all whom it may concern: 1 members 12. This arrangement also pro- Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. ROBINSON, vides for an adjustment of the spring axle a citizen of the United States, and resident members within the hollow axle member. of Grinnell, in the county of Poweshiek The inner ends of the spring axle members 5 and State of Iowa, have invented a certain stand spaced apart a considerable distance new and useful Landing-Chassis for Aerowithin the hollow axle member. planes, of which the following is a specifica- In practical use it is obvious that a very tion. simple and inexpensive structure is pro- The object of my invention is to provide vided, because the hollow axle member can- 10 a landing chassis for aeroplanes of simple, be rigidly and immovably connec'tedwith the and inexpensive construction, and in which other parts of the aeroplane chassis. Furthere will be suflicient elasticity or resiliency thermore, the spring axle members are relato avoid-excessive shocks or jars to the aerotively inexpensive because they are of com-, plane when making ordinary landings, and paratively short length. It is also a simple 15 at the same time will be rigid enough so that and easy operation to connect the spring axle in starting the aeroplane over comparatively members with the hollow axle member, berough surfaces there will not be so much cause all that is necessary is to insert the elasticity or spring in the landing chassis to spring axle members in the ends of the holcause the aeroplane to be lifted or bounced low axle member and then adjust the set 20 off of the ground surface. screws 15.

A further object is to provide means for I have found that by providing an axle adjusting the springs of the landing chassis made up of a rigid central portion and whereby the proper or desired amount of spring end portions, I can obtain a proper elasticity or spring for the landing chassis amount of elasticity or spring to relieve the 25 may be obtained under varying conditions. chassis from excessive shocks and jars when My invention consists in the construction, landing, and at the same time I avoid too arrangement and combination of the various much elasticity or spring such as would be parts of the device, whereby the objects conoccasioned if the entire axle were made of templated are attained, as hereinafter more spring material and the chassis secured 80 fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and thereto. I have found in practice that when illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in relatively long springs are used on a landwhich: ing chassis of this class, there is consider- Figure 1 shows .a front elevation of the able difiicultyin starting the aeroplane over landing chassis embodying my invention, the rough and uneven ground surfaces, because 35 central tubular portion of the axle being when such long springs are used for the shown in section, and supporting wheels there is a tendency when F1 2 shows a erspective view of a landthe wheel strikes an obstruction on the ing 0 assis embo ylng my mventlon. ground for the long spring to tilt or throw Referring to the accompanying drawings, the aeroplane upwardly from the ground be- 40 I have used the reference numeral 10 to indifore suflicient speed has been attained by cate a portion of an aeroplane frame. the aeroplane for supporting it in the air. Flrmly fixed to this frame is a hollow axle Another advantage of my construction is portion 11 open at both ends. that the length of the spring portions of Inserted in the open ends of the hollow the axle relative to the rigid portion is reacl- 45 axle portion 11 are the spring axle members ily adjustable so that an axle may be pro- 12, each of which is preferably composed of vided, having just the right amount of rea series of layers of spring metal, thus formsiliency for different conditions as to the ing an ordinary laminated spring. At the weight being carried in the aeroplane and outer end of each spring-axle member 12 is as to the condition of the ound surface 50 a solid axle 13 upon which a supporting fr m wh ch the s art and Ian g is made.

wheel 14 is rotatably mounted. I claim as my invention:

The spring axle members 12 are detach- 1. An improved aeroplane landing chassis ably held in place within the ends. of the comprisirig a rigid axle portion, two spring hollow axle member 11 by means of set axle members, wheels ther )n and means for 55 screws 15 seated in the hollow axle member adjustably securing the spring axle members and engaging the tops of the spring axle on said rigid axle portion for supporting the Wheels at different jus'tment of said spring axle members.

n Improved aeroplane landing chassis oomprising a rigid tubular axle member hav- 5 Ing open ends,

memb

positions of the ad- Q WILLIAM 0. ROBINSON. 

